Hearts are keen to extend Buaben’s stay at Tynecastle after signing him on a one-year contract during the summer. He arrived as a free agent and, after improving his fitness, quickly became a midfield mainstay alongside Morgaro Gomis as the Edinburgh club surged to the top of the Scottish Championship holding an unbeaten league record.

Buaben would be free to talk to any other club come January, when his existing contract enters its final six months. However, Hearts fully intend to have him tied up on a new deal before then.

“We’re actively trying to get something sorted out,” explained head coach Robbie Neilson. “Prince has been fantastic for us so we’d like to get something done. I don’t think we’re too far away from that. It would be a longer-term contract. Prince is pleased and he’s enjoying it here. It’s a case of just getting things done but it will probably be nearer January time before we get things finalised with him. “We’ve spoken to him and we both have an agreement that we’ll get something done. He is happy and we’re happy so I don’t see there being any problems.” Hearts will also look at possible extensions for others who signed one-year deals at the start of the season, such as English full-back Adam Eckersley and Spanish midfielder Miguel Pallardo.

“Pallardo and Eckersley have just come in and they’ve done really well so it’s something we’ll look at, maybe around January-February time,” said Neilson.

“The two of them have been great. They are two experienced players and we knew that when we got them.

“They are focused on their game, they work hard and they’ve got good attitudes, so I knew there wouldn’t be any problem bringing them in.”